‘Wild’ horse the love of rider’s life
In this series, reporter Mary-Jo Tohill speaks to those in the community about their best ‘‘furry’’ friends.
He’s an inbred wild mongrel: It’s what Laura King says to shock people when they pause to admire her handsome bay horse at shows and events.
Charlie, a 6-year-old gelding and former Kaitangata wild horse, is her pride and joy.
‘‘People know about the Kaimanawa horses, but they don’t know about the Kaitangata wild horses,’’ she says.
He was third of the five horses King has adopted from the herd that runs wild in the hills above the south Otago town of Kaitangata.
‘‘He was a 2-year-old when I got him.
‘‘I’d go up the hills [to see the herd] so he knew me.’’
But at that stage she didn’t know he would end up being hers.
However, King firmly believes that Charlie chose her and that he chose his own name – the name popped into her head when she was visiting the herd so she just kept calling him that.
Four years ago, the herd was being moved and Charlie got separated from the rest.
He was brought into town and put in a paddock the next street over from King.
‘‘I didn’t think I’d end up with him, but I was offered him and I jumped at the chance.’’
She has since talked to an animal communicator about how Charlie became hers.
‘‘The animal communicator said he was looking for me. The whole reading was unreal.’’
It seems that since she was a child, she had always yearned for a horse like Charlie.
She broke him in as a 3-yearold. He was easy.
Inbred they might me, but they are very intelligent, and once you have earned their trust, very easy to handle. Laura King
‘‘The animal communicator said he was looking for me. The whole reading was unreal.’’
She rides him in treks, cavalcades, and for the first time last season, in the pleasure-horse sections at shows.
He is the only wild horse she has competed with and has been unplaced only once.
King has a strong attachment to Kai’s wild horses.
‘‘I feel connected to them. I know who’s who.’’
Charlie has the same sire as two of the horses she had previously.
The fourth horse was Comet, now 4, whom she saved. The horse had broken teeth and could not eat, and was ‘‘absolute skin and bone’’.
The fifth is Joey, a 10-monthold.
‘‘I think they’ve all taught me something.’’